Reinforced concrete construction.



-E. L. HEIDENRHCH & W. A. COLLINGS.

REINFORCED CONCRETE CONSTRUCTION.

APPLiCATION FILED JAN.2, 191.5:

1,213,43. Patented Jan. 23, 1917.

4 SHEETS-SHEET I. Z1

E. L. HEIDENREICH & W, A. COLLINGS. REINFORCED CONCRETE QONSTRUCTION. APPLICATiON FILED JAN.2, 1915.

Patented J an. 23, 1917.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2- 1 21 was E. L. HEIDENREICH & W. A. COLLINGS.

REINFORCED CONCRETE CONSTRUCTION.

APPLICATION FILED JAN- 2, I915.

Patented J ah. 23,

E. L HEIDENREICHKa W. A. COLLINGS.

REINFORCED CONCRETE CONSTRUCTION.

APPLICATION FILED JAN.2. I915.

ma aa 4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

Wit? E 55 Ewe 5 W Few Patented Jan. 23, 1917.

EYVIND LEE HEIDENREICE AND WILLIAM ARTHUR COLLINGS, OF KANSAS CITY,

MISSOURI; SAID HEIDENREICH ASSIGNGR TO SAID COLLINGS.

REINFORCED CONCRETE CONSTRUCTION.

Application filed January 2, 1915.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, EYVIND Lnn HEI- DENREICH and WILLIAM A. CoLLINGs, citi- Zens of the United States, and residents of the city of Kansas City, in the county of Jackson and State of Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Reinforced Concrete Construo tions; and we do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the numbers of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention is shown more particularly embodied as a beamless or girderless concrete floor construction, though, of course, applicable for other uses.

The destructive and dangerous failures of floor constructions of reinforced concrete heretofore occurring, have been occasioned, in most instances, by the unequal and improper distribution of materials, whereby usually such constructions have proven weakest in the outer panels, or those disposed along the ends and sides of the floor, and occasioned in part by faulty anchorage in the walls, or improper arrangement of the reinforcing members. This has been the case with many of the constructions wherein a beamed floor construction is used.

The object of this invention is to afford a continuous non-beamed reinforced floor construction, affording substantially uniform carrying capacity in all the panels, the outer or end and side panels, as well as the inner.

it is also an object of the invention to afford a construction adapted to economize room by the omission of beams, and to afford a continuous floor construction of substantially uniform load sustaining capacity, and so constructed that the load sustained at any point, is distributed over large areas of the structure.

of such reinforcing fabric strips, and to so install and unite such fabric strips, as to render the reinforcing action thereof continuous for the entire floor surface.

It is further an object of the invention to so anchor such fabric strips in the walls, as

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented J an. 23, 1917.

Serial No. 43.

to afford their highest efliciency as tension members, and also to utilize a portion thereof as reinforcing compression members, thereby greatly increasing the strength of the structure along the walls, so that the beam action (if it may be so termed) of the end and side panels, is almost equally continuous with the interior panels.

It is also an object of the invention to afford upper reinforcing tension members of fabric at each column, and lower reinforcing compression members (also of fabric) at each column, said upper and lower reinforcing elements being united together by stirrups or tie members, which serve to position said reinforcing members accurately with reference to the form, with reference to each other, and, of course, with reference to their relative positions in the completed structure.

The invention (in a preferred form) is illustrated in the drawings, and hereinafter more fully described.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a top plan view, somewhat diagrammatic, of the reinforcements for the floors, and with the column and wall reinforcement omitted. Fig. 2 is a transverse section thereof, illustrating the wall anchorage for the floor, both with and without wall columns or pilasters. Fig. 3 is an enlarged section taken through the floor slab and reinforcement adjacent one of the columns. Fig. 4 is an enlarged detail section, illustrating the marginal reinforcement for the floor, and the anchorage on the wall. Fig. 5 is an enlarged, fragmentary detail in top plan view, illustrating the arrangement of the reinforcing sheets or strips of fabric at the columns, and the use in connection thereof, of reinforcing bars, if desired. Fig. 6 is a similar reduced view, illustrating more fully the arrangement of the fabric at the columns. Fig. 7 is a fragmentary, plan view illustrating a preferred form of continuous helical stirrup. Fig. 8 is a section on line 8-8 of Fig. 7. Fig. 9 is a detail section showing the means for spacing the structure in the forms.

As shown in the drawings the column reinforcement may be of any suitable kind. As shown, however, vertical rods 1., suitably arranged with reference to each other and disposed in the column to efficiently reinforce all parts thereof, are bound with rods 2, spirally wound about the same, or column ties, in any suitable manner, and extend for the entire height of the structure, and are invested with concrete, as usual.

The floor (shown as a continuous, beamless slab extending from wall to wall and end to end of the building, and integral with the walls and column) is constructed to substantially uniform thickness of concrete 3, reinforced by strips of wire mesh or wire netting 4, extending continuously from side to side of the building, similar strips or sheets 5, running continuously from end to end of the building, and similar sheets or strips 6, extending diagonally from wall to wall of the building. Said laterally and longitudinally extending strips intersect in the columns, and the diagonally extending strips intersect in the columns and also intermediate the columns. Said wire mesh or wire fabric, or fabricated material, is stretched in tension and disposed at the intersection of said sheets or strips near the top of the slab above the column heads, as indicated by 7, and extends outwardly in all directions from the column heads substantially horizontally for a short distance beyond the column and into the floor slab, and thence inclines downwardly to a point near the bottom of the floor slab or well below the neutral axis of the slab intermediate the columns, as shown in Fig. 2.

A succession of relatively short sheets or strips of wire mesh or wire fabric, indicated as a whole by 8, are arranged below the tension reinforcement 7, in the column head, and extend outwardly into the floor slab substantially horizontally and near the bottom of the floor slab, and afford a compression reinforcement, such reinforcement extending for any desired distance into the slab around the column, either the same, a greater, or a less distance from the axis of the column than the tension reinforcement of the column reinforcement above described, as preferred. Said tension and compression reinforcements in the column head, are spaced from each. other by one or more stirrups 9, comprising rods bent to U shape, and upon which the tension column head reinforcement rests, and to which it may be engaged, the lower ends of said stirrups ex tending through the compression reinforcement, and the ends of the stirrup are twisted together and extend downwardly to the bottom of the floor slab to afford a support for such reinforcement in the bottom of the forms. Extending radially from the column reinforcement, toward adjacent columns and diagonally also, are continuous helical stirrups 20. These may extend for any desired distance from the columns; for example, to the edges of the tension and compression reinforcements in the column heads, as shown in Fig. 7. When in place, they thread through both the tension and compression layers of fabric in the column head and function as compression spirals and also as stirrups to withstand diagonal tension, as well as to hold and prevent the compression fabrics from bursting out. They may be arranged to extend outwardly from the walls in a similar manner, in which event, they are spaced a suitable distance apart and project at a right angle therefrom. The ends 21, of said spiral stirrups are extended downwardly and serve to space the same in the forms, with or independently of stirrups 9.

If desired, rods 10, 11 and 12, as shown in F ig. 5, may be arranged longitudinally, transversely and diagonally, or, in other words, to correspond with the strips of wire fabric beneath the intersection thereof in the column head, and together therewith may afford a part of the tension reinforcement for the column head, as shown in Figs. 3 and 5. If desired also, metallic rods 13, or longitudinal and transverse reinforcing members, may extend from side to side and end to end of the building in one or more lengths, as preferred, and intermediate the columns, and intermediate the columns and walls. Such reinforcing members may be of wire mesh fabric, as before described, or any suitable material. Such rods are shown in Fig. 2, as arranged intermediate the columns, and intermediate the columns and wall.

The reinforcing webs or strips for the floor at each end wall and each side wall, are arranged in overlapped relation, as indicated by M, in Figs. 2 and a, and the extended ends of said fabric strips are carried around the upper and lower horizontal rods 15 and 16, which extend around the wall, and the free ends thereof are directed inwardly to afford the inwardly projecting metal compression members 17, which extend horizontally out into the floor slab near the bottom thereof. Such compression reinforcement affords a practically continuous web, the members forming which are directed variously from the wall, some of the web ends being directed substantially at a right angle with the wall, and some obliquely, dependent upon the arrangement of the tension strips with which the same are connected. Of course, said upper tension members 14, and lower compression members 17, extend well within the wall 18, and if the wall is constructed of reinforced concrete, the vertical reinforcement for the wall, as well as the horizontal reinforcing rods 15 and 16, may extend therethrough, thus affording a unitary structure of great strength. The same would be true should the wall be constructed of reinforced concrete, or partly reinforced concrete and brick, or other building material. If desired, however, a column (indicated as a whole by 19, as shown in Fig. 2, and which may be connected with, or bedded in the Wall to afford a pilaster exposure at the inner side of the wall) may be provided, in which case the construction at the sides and ends of the floor is practically identical With that at the other columns. Preferably, however, a sufficient projection of the floor beyond each of said columns is afforded to firmly anchor the same in the wall.

The operation is as follows: The wire mesh fabric is used in long strips to extend unbroken from end to end or transversely from side to side of the building, or diagonally from wall to wall, and the number and arrangement of the strips, of course, is suited to the length of span and the load requirements of the floor. Said strips of fabric are rigidly anchored in the walls, for the entire length of the walls, the folding of such fabric strips at the walls affording the upper tension layers of fabric 1%, and the lower compression layers of fabric 17. The main intersections of said strips being in the column heads, and said strips in said column heads being arranged near the upper surface of the floor, affording the tension reinforcement '7, the entire iioor reinforcement afforded by said strips is substantially continuous as tension members, and disposed most advantageously to utilize the full compression value of its concrete investment.

The compression members 8 and 17, in the column head and near the bottom of the floor slab, similarly disposed in the fioor slab along the walls, extend sufliciently far from the columns and the wall to attain full efliciency as compression reinforcement. Said reinforcing tension members and compression members in the column heads and along the walls, are spaced apart and held in unvarying relation by the stirrups 9, or 20, or both, and the concrete investment, thereby preventing the lower or compression member from buckling or springing down under load. Inasmuch as said fabric strips extend from wall to wall, and, inasmuch as the same afford a continuous reinforcement for the entire area of the floor, and are rigidly united and bonded together by means of the concrete investment, (while the anchorage in, and support on the wall and on the columns is such as to utilize the entire tensile strength of all the reinforcing material), it follows that the floor slab may be made relatively thin, and yet afford great load sustaining capacity, owing to what may be termed the lateral continuity of the reinforcement, which affords an indeterminate additional strength far in. excess of the tensile strength of the strips of fabric taken separately. Thisindeterminate additional lateral strength is utilized to the full by so disposing the bands or strips of metal fabric as to obtain the full benefit of such lateral action by crossing and recrossing the strips of wire mesh fabric throughout substantially the length and breadth of the floor, so as to leave no spot without reinforcement. Of course, it is to be understood in this connection that the diagrammatic illustration of the arrangement of said strips of fabric shown in Fig. 1, is intended to be illustrative merely and in no sense to confine the arrangement of the strips of fabric as therein shown, as it is obvious that the number of such reinforcing wire mesh strips used, and their arrangement to some extent, will depend upon the span and the load capacity required. It is to be understood also, that other reinforcing materials may be used in connection with the wire mesh, should it be deemed desirable. Of course, while we have shown a construction whereby the floor slab is so anchored to, and supported upon, the wall by means of members under tension as to afford a continuous marginal panel for the entire extent of the interior wall of the building, such marginal panel is continuous also in tension With the entire remainder ofthe floor.

The stirrups 9 and 20, act to correctly position the upper tension members in the column head and at the wall near the top of the floor slab to properly support the lower or compression member. in the column head and at the wall at the proper position with reference to the bottom of the floor slab, and to support all of said reinforcement from the bottom of the form during the pouring of the concrete and not only so, such stirrups act in combination with the concrete investment to maintain the upper tension members and lower compression members in proper relative positions, preventing either from any relative displacement under stress. The helical stirrups 20, are also of great importance as compression spirals to withstand diagonal tensions.

It is to be understood, of course, that details of the construction may be varied. We have illustrated and described but a preferred construction of our invention, and that somewhat diagrammatical, as it is obvious that each installation must vary to some extent with the conditions obtaining. \Ve therefore do not purpose limiting the patent to be granted on this application, otherwise than necessitated by the prior art, as numerous details of construction and arrangement may be varied without departing from the principles of this invention.

e claim as our invention:

1. A reinforced floor construction embracing longitudinally, transversely and diagonally arranged strips of wire mesh fabric extending from wall to wall of the building, to afford a continuous tension member for the entire area of the floor, a floor slab of concrete molded thereon and extending into the walls, a group of horizontally anchored rods bedded in the walls and extending around the building near the upper plane of the floor slab and another group of rods near the lower plane thereof respectively, said tension webs extending over the upper group of anchor rods and downwardly around the lower group of anchor rods and thence into the floor slab near the bottom thereof, and affording a continuous reinforcing compression member projecting from the wall into the floor slab.

2. A beamless or girderless floor slab of concrete or the like embracing in combination with the side walls and columns, horizontal anchoring rods in the side Wall of wire mesh or netting running continuously lengthwise, crosswise and diagonally in all floor panels, and arranged in tension and invested with the continuous concrete floor slab, said Wire mesh reinforcement being located near the top of the floor slab in each column head and at the Walls and near the bottom of the floor slab intermediate the same, the ends of said reinforcing strips being carried around said anchor rods and downwardly and thence into the floor slab near the bottom thereof, crossed webs of metal fabric arranged in each column head below the first named strips of reinforcement and near the bottom of the floor slab, and means spacing said upper and lower reinforcing elements relatively to, and tying the same together, and affording means for supporting the same in the forms during pourin A reinforced concrete construction embracing the combination with a column and a floor slab of metal fabric webs carried through the column head near the top of the floor slab and extending outwardly therefrom, horizontally and thence downwardly to near the bottom of theslab, reinforcing I compression members comprising crossed metallic webs of metal fabric strips arranged in the column head near the bottom of the floor slab and extending horizontally outwardly thereinto and around the column, metallic stirrups tying said reinforcing tension and compression means in unvarying relation and extending downwardly below the latter to afford a support for both in the bottom of the form.

4. A reinforced floor construction embracing the walls, horizontally anchored rods embedded therein, the floor slab of concrete or the like, and reinforcing ten sion members invested in said floor slab and extending therefrom into the wall and around said anchored members near the top of the floor slab and downwardly and outwardly into the floor slab near the bottom thereof, the protruding ends thereof affording reinforcing compression elements.

5. In a beamless and girderless fioor slab of concrete, the combination with the concrete floor slab, the columns and walls, of a layer of wire mesh reinforcement embedded therein aflording tension members above the columns and along the walls, and wire mesh folded downwardly to form another layer of reinforcement affording a compression member, the former near the top of the floor slab, the latter near the bottom thereof, stirrups affording spacing members between said tension and compression layer members, and each comprising a helically wound rod threaded through both said layer members and extending radially outward from the columns, and means connected with stirrups for supporting the reinforcement in the forms preparatory to pouring the concrete.

6. A reinforced floor construction embracing walls, horizontally anchored rods embedded therein, the floor slab and columns of concrete or the like, reinforcing tension members invested in the floor slab and columns and extending therefrom into the wall and around said anchored members in the top of the floor and downwardly and outwardly in the floor slab near the bottom thereof, the protruding ends thereof affording reinforcing compression elements, and spacing stirrups in said columns threaded through the tension and compression members.

7. In a reinforced concrete construction, the floor slabs and columns of concrete embracing reinforcing members for the column projecting through the floor slab, tension reinforcement for the floor slab arranged in the column head and extending outwardly into the floor slab and around the column, and embracing in part wire fabric, a compression reinforcement arranged in the column head and extending outwardly into the floor slab near the bottom thereof on all sides of the column, and spiral reinforcing members extending radially in a common plane outwardly from the column reinforcement into the floor slab and threaded through said tension and said compression reinforcements to space the same relatively to each other in the slab, the ends of said spirally wound members being directed downwardly to support the reinforcement in the forms.

8. In a beamless floor construction, the concrete column and floor slab and the reinforcement therefor, including tension reinforcement near the top of the floor slab, and extending over and on all sides of the column head, compression reinforcement for the floor slab extending over the column head and on all sides thereof near the bottom of the floor slab, and helical or spiral stirrups arranged in the floor slab with their axes directed radially of the column in a common plane and extending Well subscribed our names in the presence of two outwardly therefrom and engaging and subscrlbing Witnesses.

spacing said tension and compression mem- EYVIND LEE HEIDENREICH bers and actin as tension members to Withstand diagonal stresses, and auxiliary means WILLIAM ARTHUR COLLINGS' for spacing the reinforcing structure in the Vitnesses: form. GM. 0. BACON,

In testimony whereof We have hereunto MILDRED CARPENTER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G." 

